National Aquarium opens dolphin programs all day

Aquarium's regular admission price is rising

Officials at the National Aquarium in Baltimore said they are eliminating scheduled dolphin shows.

The aquarium said dolphin programs will be open all day beginning Friday. Visitors can spend as much time as they want watching the dolphins play, eat and work with trainers.

"You're going to be able to see them swimming, you're going to be able to see us do behind-the-scenes things with them -- such as checking them for medical exams, doing play sessions with them. So, it opens up the door, showing them what we do behind the scenes with dolphins," said Sue Hunter, the aquarium's director of animal programs.

"We had a thing called the total experience package, which cost $27.95, and then we had a basic price of admission, which, I guess, was less than the total experience. Everybody gets the total experience now, and so, in real terms, people get more for the same amount of money," said John Racanelli, CEO of the National Aquarium in Baltimore.

Aquarium officials said the shows could only serve 50 percent of guests on peak summer days.

"We think it's going to be a lot more fun, and fun means better," Racanelli said.

While visitors will no longer have to pay more to see dolphin shows, the aquarium's regular admission price is rising from $24.95 to $29.95 for adults and from $19.95 to $20.95 for children.

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